The Medium is the Message

#4

 When a system for writing was created and used, the way Greeks thought was changed substantially. Thoughts are not simply words spoken in one's brain, but rather ideas and images, sounds and sights. While words are often effective at communication one's thoughts, they are not perfect at translating thought to word. Quite often, what is thought varies from what is said or written, thus there are discrepancies and miscommunication. I would suggest that there are two different types of thinking, one in which we do actually think in words, and one more organic type, where thinking is in its purest form, without the use of words. 

As literacy became more widespread, and the Greeks had begun analyzing words and writing to persuade and influence, there was need to hone one’s ability to turn thoughts into words, as well as the ability to do it more effectively. Because writing was so important to pass on information and history, it was needful to skillfully and effectively communicate through the written language. Thus, the Socratic mindset was born. Socratics analyzed several important components of the written and spoken word and created theories as to what is more effective and persuasive. These tools varied based on the medium. For example, one’s style in the spoken word often varies substantially from the writing of, say, a professional paper. Similarly, Socratics were the first to recognize and analyze how the medium of a message alters that message itself.

#5

In ancient Greeks, democracy was much different than it is today, specifically in America. While Americans nowadays are able to receive voter information and candidate viewpoints written in the mail, in ancient Greece, everything was communicated orally. Thus speech was incredibly important in the lives of the Greeks. One of their most important ideals was that speech was incredibly powerful - it was even once referred to as a drug in Gorgias’ encomium of Helen – so powerful, they believed, that whoever possessed the ability to use rhetoric effectively, possessed the ability to control the minds of the people.

Of course speech is still effective today, however, in ancient Greece, one who could speak effectively and understand speech had the upper hand on those who couldn’t. In a political sense, they were the ones who were voted for, they were the ones who performed speeches in front of throngs of intelligent voters (back then only the educated and wealthy could vote). Politics changed substantially as the Socratics began analyzing speech and writing, and discovering its rhetorical qualities. Politicians could then study how to be more persuasive, rather than learning from trial and error, and listeners who studied rhetoric were no longer as naïve, falling for the speech, not necessarily the speaker. All in all, the study of rhetoric changed Greek politics forever.